Pyridoxal-5′-phosphate (PLP), an end product of vitamin B6 metabolism, plays a vital role in mammalian health. In previous patents (U.S. Pat. No. 6,051,587 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,043,259, herein incorporated by reference) the role of pyridoxal-5′-phosphate, and its precursors pyridoxal and pyridoxine (vitamin B6), in mediating cardiovascular health and in treating cardiovascular related diseases is disclosed.
The major degradation pathway for pyridoxal-5′-phosphate in vivo is the conversion to pyridoxal, catalysed by alkaline phosphatase. Thus, there is a need to identify and administer drugs that are functionally similar to pyridoxal-5′-phosphate such as pyridoxine phosphonate analogues or pyridoxine malonate analogues, that elicit similar or enhanced cardiovascular benefits, and that beneficially affect PLP-related conditions, but are stable to degradation by phosphatase.